This blog started off by focussing on NZ's smaller 3rd level airlines, past and present. It has evolved to trying to present some record of NZ's domestic airline operations and some of the larger charter operators, interesting NZ international airliner movements and photos I have taken around the country. Comments, corrections or contributions are welcome, Steve - westland831@gmail.com

10 February 2015

Great Barrier Airlines to fly to Kaitaia

Great Barrier Airlines will operate daily flights between Kaitaia and Auckland after Air New Zealand discontinues services to and from Kaitaia in April. Air New Zealand announced last November that it would withdraw services at several provincial airports, including Kaitaia, with effect from 28 April. Great Barrier Airlines has announced that it will provide three daily flights each way between Kaitaia and Auckland on weekdays after entering into an agreement with Far North Holdings which operates Kaitaia airport. The airline will operate 12-seater Cessna Grand Caravan 208B aircraft on the route. Flights from Auckland to Kaitaia will depart at 6am, 12:30pm and 5:30pm on weekdays, with return flights from Kaitaia to Auckland departing at 7:30am, 2:00pm and 7:00pm.Great Barrier Airlines will also operate two flights a day between Kaitaia and Auckland on Saturdays and Sundays, departing Auckland for Kaitaia at 9:30am and 5:00pm and returning to Auckland from Kaitaia at 11:00am and 6:30pm. Great Barrier Airlines General Manager Murray Pope says the new service will bring many benefits for Far North residents. “Our schedules mean that business people will be able to undertake a full day’s business in Auckland before flying home in the evening. They will also be able to transfer to and from Wellington services.” Mr Pope says Great Barrier Airlines has been flying to and from Great Barrier Island for more than 30 years and has considerable experience operating in the Far North. “We’re already familiar with Northland and Kaitaia, having run a service between Whangarei and Kaitaia four times a week on behalf of the Northland District Health Board for more than ten years.” Far North Holdings Ltd Chief Executive Andy Nock is delighted that Great Barrier Airlines plans to pick up the Kaitaia-Auckland service. “Air New Zealand’s announcement last year caused a great deal of concern among the Far North community. I am pleased that Great Barrier Airlines has stepped forward to fill the gap. Great Barrier Airlines is committed to the highest standards of safety and customer service and I am sure the people of the Far North will make them welcome.” Far North Mayor John Carter says the announcement is fantastic news for Kaitaia and he commends Far North Holdings for the role it played in helping to secure a new air transport service for Kaitaia. “Daily flights between Kaitaia and Auckland are vital for economic growth and regional development. I encourage people to support this important service.”

Approx 240km in a Caravan? 12 seats means cramped and no toilet. Soundsair is apparently finding that Whanganui to Wellington (approx 190km) in a Caravan does not appeal. Public expectations of air travel in NZ are well above the third world use of such aircraft. This won't last.

With respect you might be confusing lack of demand with the comfort factors. Wellington to Wanganui is about 2 hours and 30 minutes to drive. Auckland to Kaitaia is over 4 hours, so even if you factor in an hour from the CBD to Mangere, it's still a much quicker trip by air. AA-KT would take about an hour in a C208 by my calculations. Very few people would struggle to make an hour without a toilet, and let's not forget the Metro and Bandeirante that served the link fleet for years had no toilet. I've done +2 hour segments in the C208 in Australia and it's entirely manageable. While it's not 1900D, it costs a fraction to run and makes services to the smaller regions feasible.

No confusion here. If comfort was the same (it isn't) its clear that even where the area has or had an Air NZ service with Beech 1900 (e.g. Whanganui; Masterton) many who wished to fly would drive 1 to 1.5 hours to Palmerston North or Wellington to get larger aircraft, hostesses, toilets, better frequency and connections - and that was when the choice was Air NZ either way. There are less than 9,000 people closer to Kaitaia than to Kerikeri - Air NZ will pitch to get as many as possible of these to go to Kerikeri, using cheap fares, airpoints, etc. In addition, an unknown number of Kaitaia people will be flying further than Auckland - to the south or overseas. Air NZ for its domestic flights packages the first stage (e.g. Kaitaia to Auckland) and the other flights to get a cheaper price overall. There are more factors - e.g. many large firms won't permit staff to fly on single engined aircraft. You can be sure that Air NZ looked at all of this before pulling out.

From the information we've seen, the fares will be little diffierent to the what's currently asked of this marginal end of regional flying. In some cases potentially higher. What's going to make it attract more people?The lack of connecting flights, feed traffic, no lounges, useful credible loyalty programmes the list goes on.

The reality is that Air NZ could not make it cover the cost of the B1900 operation let alone a return on investment. The regions complained about the cost of the tickets but what is now evident is that Air NZ prices were good for the operation but at a loss however if the price increased to the point of profitability for the B1900 then traffic dropped.

To keep the price affordable then it will not be a turbine twin operation. The capital cost, operations cost is the same no matter who operates the turbine twin, so the only variable is staff overheads or change the type to a lower capital aircraft.